The DMC Book of Cross Stitch and Counted Thread Work

This is the definitive guide to the history and worldwide techniques (plural) of Cross Stitch. Published by DMC, the most widely recognized manufacturer of cross stich floss, this isn't an overnight read. There is just too much information here and too much too absorb at any one time. It's a refrence book with some pattern motifs and lots of suggested ways of working and preparing to work on a piece. It's a teaching tool and as such it is great. You may not need it today but if you plan on making cross stitch an on going part of your life I think it might prove a beneficial addition to any library